As one of Louis and Eleanor Murphy's children, I'd like to speak for my siblings in extending our condolences to your family.
I'm sorry I didn't get to the calling hours, but I did attend the nice ceremony this morning at St. John the Baptist Church. I had hoped to say hello to one or more of you, but understandably, given the weather, it wasn't the most pleasant situation for people to stand outside and talk.
I attended two years of high school just down the street from the church, at what was then St. John the Baptist Academy. One day two Syracuse police officers came by to give a presentation to us about drugs. It was the kind of thing that Joe Friday and Bill Gannon did on TV. Of course, one of the officers was Al. But unlike Joe and Bill, Al and his partner had a self-deprecating sense of humor and a low-key style that made the program enjoyable. I seem to remember Al telling about how one time he and his partner raided a house, thinking people were doing drugs there. It turned out that the folks inside were only having a drinking party. (At least that's how I remember the story.)
That memory always makes me smile, and I suspect that you have many similar memories, and I hope that they will help bring you solace.
Best wishes,
Mark Murphy